This section aims to introduce each beneficiary, explain their sector, and describe their work within the project’s framework. Today it is the turn of Ana Galvão and Catarina Mendes, from the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST).
What is the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST)?
The Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) is the largest school of engineering, architecture, science and technology in Portugal, and is regarded as one of the most prestigious engineering institutions in Europe. Founded in 1911, it drove a profound renewal of engineering teaching methods in Portugal.
Today, IST is part of the University of Lisbon and operates across three campuses. It carries out research, development and innovation (R&D&I) activities spanning 10 academic departments and 19 research units, and is home to 12,017 students as well as 1,056 lecturers and researchers.
How long have you been working at IST and what is your background and role in the institution?
Ana Galvão: I have been working at IST since 2003, first as an Invited Assistant Professor and, since 2009, as an Assistant Professor. My main duties include teaching and research, which also involve supervising Master’s and PhD students who have the opportunity to carry out their theses within research projects. I also take on management responsibilities, currently coordinating the Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering and serving on the Pedagogical Council.
Catarina Mendes: I started working at IST about a year ago. I was awarded a research grant as a Master’s student within the SOLLAGUA project, which therefore represents my first professional experience in the field of research. I completed both my Bachelor’s and recently finished Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering at Técnico. Within the SOLLAGUA project, I follow up on the objectives assigned to IST, providing the necessary support — ranging from translation and document preparation to laboratory work.
What do you like about your work?
Ana G.: In my teaching work, what I enjoy most is the contact with students, especially that “aha!” moment when they understand something. In research, it’s that same moment experienced as a team, when we manage to explain the results we have obtained. I also very much enjoy exploring a research question together as a team — one that sparks our scientific curiosity — and designing experiments that allow us to study it.
Catarina M.: As this is my first job in the field, it is extremely rewarding to feel that I am finally specialising in something — in this case, nature-based solutions. I feel that I am constantly learning, because I am in contact with very talented and experienced people. Without a doubt, one of my favourite aspects is the opportunity to travel, meet people from different places, and discover other projects.
Is this your first EU project?
IST already has extensive experience in European projects, including Interreg initiatives, and the exchange of ideas with highly diverse teams is always extremely enriching and rewarding. Transnational collaborative projects are particularly interesting because they cover a smaller geographical area, which creates a greater sense of proximity. This makes it possible to identify similarities, but also to understand differences and learn from this diversity, transferring what can be adapted to each specific context.
What is the appeal of SOLLAGUA to IST?
SOLLAGUA focuses on nature-based solutions (NBS), an emerging field that is gaining strong momentum in Europe and which, due to its natural foundations, we believe makes a significant contribution to sustainability. At the same time, SOLLAGUA aims to address water needs in rural areas, which are increasingly facing water scarcity, particularly in the Mediterranean region.
Our institute has been conducting research on NBS and on water reuse, and SOLLAGUA makes it possible to apply the knowledge previously acquired and put it at the service of the population.
What is IST’s mission in the SOLLAGUA project?
IST coordinates Working Group 2, which is dedicated to developing a strategy for the implementation of Water-Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs). This working group will also prepare an Action Plan to facilitate the adoption of these living labs in this context.
Currently, what are you engaged in?
We are currently finalising the deliverable “SOLLAGUA Strategy for Water-Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs)”. The aim of this document is to support the replication and development of living labs, particularly with regard to the reuse of wastewater in rural areas.
We are also supporting Águas do Tejo Atlântico, another partner in the project, in the process of installing the Portuguese demonstrator, which will be located at the Lourinhã wastewater treatment plant in central Portugal. This demonstrator will consist of horizontal-flow macrophyte beds with a surface area of 8 m², designed to treat wastewater that has only undergone preliminary treatment (screening, grit removal and grease removal). To enable the reuse of this water for crop irrigation, an additional disinfection step using ultraviolet radiation will be applied.
What are the main challenges you are currently facing?
The construction of the demonstrator is currently the greatest challenge, due to the involvement of external suppliers and the weather conditions that affect the installation of the equipment.
What are the key findings to date?
There are significant differences between the three countries regarding water needs in relation to availability: in Portugal and Spain, the distribution of water throughout the year is less uniform than in France, and farmers feel the scarcity more acutely. For this reason, there is greater openness and interest in using treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation in Portugal and Spain. In France, although water availability is higher and interest in reuse is lower, farmers already recognise that this situation will change in the future due to climate change.
What do you think SOLLAGUA’s contribution will be after the end of the project in scientific, social and economic terms?
SOLLAGUA will provide tools to enable water reuse in agricultural areas to be carried out using sustainable, environmentally friendly solutions. The application of these tools will take place within Living Labs, which are collaborative spaces bringing together businesses, academia, public institutions and civil society. By involving different stakeholders in building solutions to a shared problem — in this case, water scarcity — a variety of perspectives are taken into account from the very beginning, which significantly increases the likelihood of successful initiatives.
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